Roundtour Hike from Glaubenbielen Pass to Nünalpstock near Sörenberg

Saturday October 16, 2021 -- Well this day turned out to be spectacular! With clear air and good visibility we decided on a hike with a view. And even though the trip there was through the fog (always the fog), we left the fog behind at the level of Lake Sarnensee.

We traveled to the Glaubenbielen Pass, which is on the Panorama Road between Giswil (near Lake Sarnensee) and Sörenberg in the Entlebuch, and from there we did a 3-hour round hike to a peak called Mt. Nünalpstock. Since it isn't a very high mountain (1900 m) we were pretty sure we wouldn't be hindered by snow. (There were patches remaining from the recent snowfall, and parts of the trail were quite muddy, but we were able to complete the 9-km and 3-hour round tour as planned).

To get to the Glaubenbielen Pass is only a couple of hours from home, so we didn't have to leave too early. We got there at noon, and planned to return to Giswil on the 5 p.m. bus, which also gave us plenty of time to stop for refreshments at a mountain farm and enjoy the warm late afternoon sunshine.

It wasn't a difficult hike, even though we did have to ascend 400m altitude in one stretch, but the crisp clear view of the Engelberg Alps (especially Mt. Titlis) to the east, the Brienzer Rothorn to the south and the Entlebuch to the northwest made the hike relatively effortless.

Side Note: The bus was late picking us up at the Pass. This was concerning because we only had five minutes leeway to catch the train in Giswil. The driver had been stuck behind a herd of cows being moved to another pasture, and even though we met that same herd on the way down, the driver still managed to get us to the train station right on time (and the train driver had mercy on us as well). 

From Luzern to Giswil we had quite a bit of fog, but here on the bus ride from Giswil to the Glaubenbielen Pass, pure sunshine!

What we basically ended up doing is walking around that hill up ahead, to the peak at the arrow: Mt. Nünalpstock, from where you can see down into the Sörenberg Valley on the other side. 

At the Glaubenbielen Pass, a lovely view over the Entlebuch Region. Those mountains are the Brienzer Grat and form the border with Canton Bern, 

We are walking a section of Trail no.2: "Trans Swiss Trail", the same trail I had walked on two days earlier near Bern. We had already done this piece before, coming from Langis (Glaubenbergpass) to the North. (Those photos can be viewed HERE)

This 3-hour hike was relatively easy for us. We first walked on the North side of the Rotspitz and had lunch at Nünalp. From there the trail to the summit of Nünalpstock was very muddy, due to recently melted snow. The descent back to the pass was easier than expected, and we had time for some refreshments at the farm at Alp Glaubenbielen. 

Alp Glaubenbielen, where we stopped for refreshments on the way back down the mountain. We headed around those hills to the right, and came back from the left. 

Along the Trans Swiss Trail, you get this view across Canton Obwalden to Mt. Stanserhorn (middle), and Mt.Rigi (back left side). We are so happy to be above the fog for a change!

At the Unterwengen Farm we leave the Trans Swiss Trail and head up the mountain, with our ultimate goal the summit of Mt. Nünalpstock, although we approached it from the ridge on the right. 

Heading uphill toward Mt. Nünalpstock. Behind me is the peak called Rotspitz, and we returned along the ridge on the right and on the other side of that peak. 

Cut grass is often piled like this to dry

Uphill toward Nünalp. The backdrop is the Engelberg Alps in the next valley over

Close-up view of the Engelberg Alps, including Mt. Titlis which has snow year-round. 

It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the farm at Nünalp. It is now 1:20 p.m.

We had our picnic lunch here at the Nünalp. Spectacular weather and view. 

Behind me on the right is the Giswilerstock Massif. 

Close-up view of the Giswilerstock Massif. A couple of years ago we hiked from Mt. Brienzer Rothorn via that saddle with the power masts, and descended from there to the Glaubenbielen Pass, on the panorama road you can see below. (Those photos can be viewed HERE)

Nearing the summit of Mt. Nünalpstock, the trail was very muddy from recently melted snow. Cows also have ruined the pasture here. But the view is spectacular!

A view northwards. The massif in the center is called Schwandiliflue, and the mountain on the right, Mt. Fürstein, is also a popular hiking destination because there is a parking lot below it at the Glaubenberg Pass. You can walk across this valley to the Sörenberg Valley and this is something we also plan to do some day. 

Our destination achieved: Mt. Nünalpstock. Not very high at 1894m, but it snowed recently. This is exactly the halfway point of the loop. We have another 1.5 hours back to the bus stop at the Glaubenbielen Pass. 

Fantastic view in all directions from up here on the summit: This view is to the North. You can see all the way to Mt. Pilatus (on the left).

Directly to the West is the 6-km long Schrattenfluh massif, one of the largest limestone fields in Switzerland.  Below is the Sörenberg Valley. This is the beautiful Entlebuch Region of Canton Luzern. 

A look down at the popular recreation town of Sörenberg. This is the beautiful Entlebuch Region. 

Another look to the Southeast to the Giswilerstock massif and the spectacular Hasliberg and Engelberg Alps. 

Directly South is a small hill we have to cross before descending back to the Glaubenbielen Pass. Way at the back are the beautiful Bernese Alps.

A closer look at the Brienzer Rothorn range in the front, and the highest Bernese Alps in the back (Mt. Finsteraarhorn)

The stunning Mt. Finsteraarhorn (rightmost tall peak), the highest mountain in the Bernese Alps. 

Our descent will take us along the ridge below, the one with snow on the North side, and then around the tree-covered horn. An absolutely incomparable view. We were very lucky this day....

The trail continues along the ridge below

Another spectacular view to Lake Sarnensee to the North. The fog there has pretty well disappeared now. Below is the farm at the Nünalp where whe had our picnic lunch before taking that trail northwards behind the building. 

 As we reach the ridge, the sign shows us another 55 minutes to the Glaubenbielen Pass. 

The slightest bit of colour so late in the season!

From here we have to go around that "horn" on the right. It's called the Rotspitz

This is the view we had from the Glaubenbielen Farm where we stopped for refreshments. From here it's only another 20 minutes to the bus stop. 

Nothing better than an ice-cold Panaché (and a meringue dessert) after a 3-hour hike!

The operator of the restaurant had come out to sit with our table neighbours and explained that they had been serving guests non-stop all day!

A lovely collection of cow bells inside the restaurant

A final look at the Alp Glaubenbielen farm and Rotspitz peak as we head back to the bus stop at the Glaubenbielen Pass

The mint-green trail is the loop hike we did this day. In 2020 we hiked the yellow trail from Glaubenberg Pass to Glaubenbielen Pass. In 2019 we hiked from the summit of Mt. Brienzer Rothorn to the Glaubenbielen Pass. And in other years, various hikes in the Sörenberg area. 

The bus was late picking us up at the Glaubenbielen Pass. This was a concern for us as we only had five minutes at the Giswil train station to catch our train connection to Luzern. The driver apologized profusely, said he was stuck for 15 minutes behind a small herd of cows being transferred from one pasture to the other, with no option to pass..... He promised to do his best to get us to the train station on time. "What if the cows are still on the road on the way down?" I said to Urs.... and barely were the words out of my mouth, we rounded the corner, and saw this:

What luck to be stuck behind a small herd of plodding cows!!

The bus driver said "Oh boy, now we're in trouble...". When the cows finally left the road, the driver did the best he could, pulling into the train station at the very exact time the train was to have left. Fortunately for us, the train driver saw the bus, waited those 15 seconds it took for us disembark and cover the 10 meters to the train, and we managed our connection just the same! That's service! (Doesn't happen often like this)

This is the region of the Glaubenbielen Pass and Mt. Nünalpstock.